Buckle



(No Model.)

T. L. WISWELL.

Buckle. No. 235,323. lPatented Dec. 7,1880.

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Unito STATES PATENT OFTTCEo THEODORE L. WISWELL, OF OLATHE, KANSAS.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,323, dated December 7, 1880,

Application filed October 11, 1880.

To all whom it mayooncern:

Be it known that I, THEoDoRE L. `W1s WELL, of Olathe, in the county ofJohnson and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference heilig had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My i-nvention relates to an improvement in buckles; and it consists in the combination of a frame having a loop at each end and bottom plates, one of which is provided with a stud or projection, and a plate with one or more studs projecting from its upper surface, and having a hole through one end to catch over the stud or projection upon the bottom plate or bar, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to construct a buckle which is especially intended for securing the free ends of two straps together, and which is also designed to be used in mending harness, and which buckle is not only applied without the necessity of sewing it to either strap or part, but dispenses with sewing entirely.

Figures l and 2 are perspectives of the frame of the buckle, taken from different sides. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspectives of the different kinds of plates that are used in connection with the frame. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the buckle and the straps.

A represents the frame of the buckle, which is provided with a bottom plate, B, and a loop, C, at each end, which loops are made to extend some distance beyond the cross bars. The frame in between the two loops is made to project upward a suitable distance above its bottom, and thus forni the ilange or raised side D, which serves as a guide in order to keep the tongue always straight in its movement. Upon the top ofone of the bottom plates is formed a stud or projection, I, which passes through a hole, O, which is made in the tongueplate H, and thus holds the plate in position. This frame A may have a suitable ring, L, formed upon either one or both of its ends, and which ring may be of any desired shape or size.

(No model.)

The tongue-plate H consists of a ilat plate, upon the top of which are formed one or more studs or projections, J, and which plate has a hole made through it near one end, so as to catch over the stud or projection Ion the frame A. This plate is madejust wide enough to lit snugly between the side anges of the body; and where two studs or projections are used, the stud at the end where the hole is made through it will be placed farther inward toward the center of the plate than the stud at the other end, so as to allow the plate to be moved endwise far enough under the loop over the stud or projection I to allow the other end of the plate to be raised upward out ot' the frame.

Where but a single stud or projection is used upon the top ofthe plate, it will be formed upon the opposite end of the plate from the hole through which the stud I passes, and through the center of the plate there will then be made a rivet-hole, P, so that the strap can be riveted to the plate or tongue.

Where the buckle is to be used in fastening the free ends of two straps together, both straps will have two holes made through them corresponding to the distance between the two studs or projections on the ton gue-plate, and the lower strap will be attached to the plate by having the two studs or projections passed through its two holes, and then the free end of the strap will be passed through the loop at the lower end of the buckle. The plate is then moved endwise until the stud or projection at the end through which the hole is made strikes against the loop at that end of the frame, when the billet end of the other strap is passed through the loop at the upper end of the frame and the upper stud or projection passed through its upper holes. The tongue-plate having the two straps thus fastened to it is then moved upward into the frame until the stud I passes through the hole in the tongue, when the billet end of the upper strap is passed under the loop on the lower end of the frame, when the lower stud or projection will be passed through the second hole. The two straps being thus held together both by the loops at each end of the frame and by the studs or projections which pass through them, the tongue-plate is locked securely in position upon the frame, so

IOO

that it can have no movement whatever in any direction. The only way in which the two ends of the straps can then be separated is to pull the billet end of the upper strap upward from under its loop, when the tongue-plate can be raised high enough upward to free it from the projection I, when it is moved endwise in the frame far enough to allow the upper strap to be raised o' of the second projection on the 1o tongue and pulled from under the upper loop.

Where the tongue is used with the two projections, as above described, this buckle is especially adapted for securing together the free ends of two straps, and for mending harness I 5 Without the necessity of sewing or riveting.

Where but a single projection is used upon the tongue it is necessary that the strap should be riveted to the tongue, and then the end of the strap can he passed through a ring or other 2o suitable fastening, bent backward upon itself and passed through the upperloop, the tongueplate moved in position so that it will catch over the stud or projection I, and then the end of the strap passed under the second loop on 25 the frame A. This form of buckle is intended especially for forming billets in reins, lines, or any other place where a billet is used.

A buckle formed with the two projections on the tongue can be applied to straps or broken 3o parts of harness, and then removed,whenever so desired, without the necessity of sewing or riveting them in position,and will be found to make a better and a stronger union than where the parts are sewed.

Having thus described my invention, I 3 5 claim- 1. The combination of the buckle-frame A, having a loop and a plate at each end, and having a projection, I, formed upon one of the plates, with a removable tongue-plate having 4o a hole through it at one end and provided with one or more projections for passing through the strap, substantially as described.

2. A buckle adapted for fastening together the ends of straps and monding harness with- 45 out the necessity of sewing or riveting the buckle to either part, the' said buckle being composed of a frame having aloop at each end and a tongue-piece having the two studs or projections on its upper face to pass through 5o the two straps, and which tonguepiece is held in place by means of a stud or projection on the frame, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of September, 1880.

THEODORE L. WISWELL.

Witnesses:

H. E. TRACY, H. L. BURGEss. 

